Underlining the centrality of reproductive health to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was a priority throughout 2003. These goals are inseparable from the ICPD Programme of Action, which has been UNFPA's blueprint for development since 1994. The links are now widely recognized. The ICPD goal of universal access to reproductive health services is of fundamental importance to poverty reduction, and progress in population and reproductive health is absolutely indispensable in achieving at least four of the MDGs: promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS.